Broken Shores
The Basics
W��� �� B����� S�����?
Broken Shores is a Role-Playing
Game (RPG) that uses the
percentile roll as its core mechanic,
although the full set of polyhedral
dice is required in order to play, as
well as pen and paper. In Broken
Shores, players take the role of
Drifters, survivors from an ancient
cataclysm that ravaged their world,
turning it into a watery hellscape.
Players will explore a randomly
generated ocean, scavenging what
they can from the myriad of
derelicts and tiny islands that are
only now starting to appear. This is
a dark and brutal world where
fresh water is worth more than
blood, and magic is both
unpredictable and the key to
ultimate power.
H�� ���� B����� S����� ����?
Broken Shores is best played with a
Game Master (GM) and a single
Player Character (PC). There is
nothing stopping you from playing
it with a group of friends, but the
game thrives when it’s “me versus
8
the world”, and this is best achieved
when there’s a single PC. For this
same reason we have included solo
rules and tools, for those wanting
to venture into the watery world of
Zephorus without the guidance of a
GM.
Whenever a PC tries to do
something and the result isn't
evident, or there is something at
stake, the GM will inform the
player to perform a check. This is
done by rolling D100, and
comparing the result to the
corresponding skill on the
character’s sheet. If the result is
equal or lower than the skill’s
score, the check is a success. This
process is described in detail in
chapter 3.
B����� S�����’� ���� ��������
� Dark fantasy set in the post-
apocalyptic world of Zephrous.
The gods are dead, and humanity
faces a cruel, inhospitable world.
�Magic is dangerous and as such,
often forbidden and frowned upon.
 The Basics
�Players play as Drifters, people �Ocean hexcrawl with a focus on
who travel the One Sea in search of exploration and scavenging.
small islands to scavenge. Explore ancient ruins, lush islands,
�loating derelicts. The world is
�Godshards are the most ancient, but ripe for discovery and
desirable item to be found, crucial pro�it.
in the use of sorcery and coveted by
the different cults. The old world �Customized gameplay that
left many a relic as well, if you’re allows for solo or traditional, GM-
brave enough to venture into the led campaigns.
ancient ruins...

9
Broken Shores

Characters

through the following steps, your

character exists entirely in your
mind. As such, you may decide on a
name, gender, appearance, and
background for them if you wish,
but by the end of this character
creation process you should
already have a clear vision of who
your character is.

New characters are referred to as

Drifters, and they start their career
with little else but the clothes on
their back. All new characters are
assumed to have just escaped from
one of the many cults that have
appeared in recent years. As such,
your character has managed to
grab a handful of rations, a weapon,
and little else after their escape.

Before you can set off and explore

the One Sea, you need to create a
Player Character (PC). This will be
your avatar in the world of
Zephorus, and through it you will
explore its vast, dangerous ocean.
By following the next few steps
you’ll have a new PC ready to
explore this harsh world in no time.
Besides the numbers generated

10

A���������
Attributes are the foundation your
character is built upon. They
determine your innate capabilities,
and de�ine the core of your abilities.
They also determine the initial
score of many skills, as you will soon
learn. Higher numbers indicate a
better capability; a person with a
WIL of 12 will always be more
powerful than one with a WIL of 10,
for example. All characters have the
following Attributes:
- Strength (STR): This determines
how strong your character is, and
how capable they are of performing
feats of physical might such as
lifting something heavy or breaking
an object. It also in�luences how
much gear you can carry without
being encumbered.
- Dexterity (DEX): This describes
how good you are at doing things
that require you to be nimble or
good with your hands, such as
dodging and lock picking.
- Constitution (CON): This
measures how resistant your
character is to damage, and how
well they fare against harmful
effects such as poisons or diseases.
If a character’s CON score is ever
reduced to zero, they die.
- Will (WIL): This de�ines your
mental strength and ego. As such, it
is a key attribute for anyone dealing
with powerful magics, or simply to
avoid being convinced of
something. It allows you to stand
your ground and increases your
chances of getting your way.
- Intelligence (INT): This shows
how cunning and capable you are at
mental tasks. You will use it when
you need to think things through
before acting, or to solve a puzzle or
riddle.
11
Characters
- Charisma (CHA): This tells you
how likable you are. You will use
your charisma to get information,
and gain advantages with NPCs.
The initial attribute scores are
determined by rolling 3D6 six
times (once per character
attribute) and then assigning each
result to one of the attributes.
When you're done, your character
will have a score in each of their
attributes ranging from 3 to 18. An
attribute’s score can never go
above 20 by natural means.
Each attribute has an associated
Attribute Roll that is equal to
that attribute x5. This value is
used when a situation calls for a
check that is not covered by any
skill, or that directly challenges one
of the attributes. Attribute Rolls are
always called for by the Game
Master (GM), or by very speci�ic
circumstances, such as triggering a
trap, being poisoned, or having
your character attempt to
remember something.
- Strength Roll - Brawn: For
situations when a character must
solve a problem or get out of a
situation via pure brute force, a
Brawn check is required. This can
be anything from breaking free
from bondage, to lifting a heavy
rock. It can also be used as an
opposed check against another
character or creature, during an
arm wrestling match, for example.
- Dexterity Roll - Coordination:
When a character needs to
determine if their re�lexes are quick
enough to avoid a trap or catch an
item thrown at them, among other
things, we use the Dexterity roll.
- Constitution Roll - Vitality: Use a
Constitution roll whenever
Broken Shores
physical or intestinal fortitude is in
question. To list a few examples, a
Constitution roll might determine
whether or not your character can
stay awake all night, or endure
seasickness, ill-prepared food,
strong drink, or even poison, with
no ill effects.
- Will Roll - Tenacity: Any
situation that challenges a to be the focus of attention or get
character’s determination or
control over themselves or their
power can call for a Tenacity check.
This is usually necessary when
attempting to resist the effects of a
spell, for example. Tenacity is also
crucial to spellcasters, as described
in chapter 5.
- Intelligence Roll - Intellect: This
roll represents a character’s ability
to make a correct guess or a canny
decision, or it can show awareness:
for instance, does the character
understand the meaning of the
repeating glyphs they saw, or are
they capable of �inding a way out of
their current situation? An Intellect
check can be used to actively seek
for clues, acquiring information,
experimenting, and conducting
study. It’s important to avoid using
the Intelligence Roll as an easy
solution to puzzles and problems
though, those are best left for the
players to solve.
12
- Charisma Roll - Charm: A
character can make a Charm check
to make a good �irst impression,
sway another character without
words, or even to determine who
other characters turn naturally
when decisions must be made.
Charm checks cover all those
circumstances when words are not
used yet still a character manages
what they want.
S��������� A���������
- Health Points (HP): Health
Points are a measure of how much
damage a character can take before
they die. A character’s HP are equal
to their CONx2. An average human
recovers 3 HP per each day of full
rest.
- Power Points (PP): Power Points
are a representation of a
character’s spiritual and psychic
power, and are used to cast spells. A
character’s PP are equal to their
WIL, and are recovered after a full
night’s rest.
- Speed: In a single round (10
seconds), a character can walk and
swim at a speed equal to their
DEXx2 in feet, and run at a speed
equal to DEXx4 in feet.

S�����
Now that we know your character’s
innate capabilities, it's time we see
how their experiences have shaped
them and what they learned in
their past. Skills represent a
character's prowess in a variety of
�ields. This value can go from 0
(complete incompetence) to 100
(total mastery). These are
percentual values, so if a character
has a score of 40 in the Literacy
skill, they have a 40% chance of
being successful when attempting
to read something. Whenever you
are asked to perform a skill check,
roll a D100. If the result is below
your skill's value, the check is
successful.
Each skill has an initial score
determined by the attribute
associated with it. A character with
a DEX of 16 will have a starting
score of 16 in Crafting, Dodge, and
any other skill associated with it.
This initial score is added to the
total of points assigned to it, if any.
After applying the base scores, add
the following skill allotments to
your skills:
�+60 to one skill.
�+40 to three skills.
�+20 to �ive skills. You can choose
to learn one spell and allot +20 to
four skills instead, or learn two
spells and allot +20 to three skills.
�+10 to two skills.
- Acrobatics (DEX): A character
can roll beneath a closing gate,
swing across a chasm on a rope, or
hold their balance on a precarious
ledge by passing an Acrobatics
check.
- Animal Handling (CHA): When a
character wants to attempt to calm
down a domesticated animal, intuit
an animal’s intentions, or even to
control their mount when
13
Characters
attempting a risky maneuver, this is
the skill they must use.
- Athletics (STR): To undertake
dif�icult feats of swimming,
sprinting, climbing, or jumping, a
character must make an Athletics
check.
- Command (CHA): This skill
allows a character to take control of
a group of soldiers and lead them
into battle, or to arrange and
organize an ef�icient group task,
such as a ship’s crew. It determines
how good a character is at
commanding other characters that
are under their orders.
- Crafting (DEX): With this skill a
character is able to �ix or create
small objects, like mending some
leather boots, �ixing a broken hilt,
and any other task that doesn't
require a very specialized
knowledge. This general skill
covers any sort of leather-working,
bone-crafting, and carpentry.
- Dodge (DEX): A character’s ability
to get out of the way, either during
combat or out of it. This skill is also
used when a character attempts to
disengage from a melee �ight.
- Insight (WIL): A creature's
objectives or motives can be
deduced via an Insight check.
- Literacy (INT): The ability to
read, understand, and reproduce
the written word. This skill is a
must for anyone interested in
learning the secrets of magic
contained in grimoires and glyphs.
“Written word” in Zephorus might
very well mean delicate notches on
a bone, actual letters and
pictograms written on vellum, or
even the complex knot language of
the Atharri.
Broken Shores
- Manipulation (CHA): With this
skill a character can in�luence an
NPC’s opinion or actions, either via
a well-placed threat, lies or sheer
�lattery.
- Martial Weapons (STR): This
skill allows a character to wield
weapons such as the battelaxe, �lail,
glaive, greataxe, greatsword, lance,
longsword, maul, morningstar,
scimitar, shortsword, trident, war
pick, warhammer, and wip.
- Medicine (INT): In order to
stabilize a dying person, treat or
diagnose a sickness or poison, heal
wounds, or establish the cause of
death, a character must make a
Medicine check.
- Nature (INT): The character's
understanding of natural terrains,
monsters, plants, and threats is
measured by the Nature skill.
Unlike Survival, this skill does not
involve practical experience with
the natural world.
- Perception (WIL): Perception
refers to a character's ability to see,
hear, or sense things.
- Performance (CHA): With a
Performance check, a character can
sing, act, or otherwise amuse an
audience.
- Ranged Weapons (DEX): The
ability to wield ranged weapons in
combat, such as any type of bow,
throwing daggers, darts, and even
throwing nets.
- Sailing (DEX): A character’s
ability to properly tend to and
navigate boats and vessels of any
size.
- Siege Weapons (DEX): This skill
determines a character’s ability to
wield the large weapons sometimes
used by forti�ications and larger
vessels, such as ballistae or catapults.
14
- Simple Melee Weapons (STR):
This skill measures a character’s
ability to wield the following
weapons: Club, dagger, greatclub,
handaxe, javelin, mace,
quarterstaff, and spear.
- Sleight of Hand (DEX): To
conduct legerdemain, pickpocket,
hide an object on another person,
make a secret hand signal, or
otherwise trick the eyes with feats
of dexterity, a character makes a
Sleight of Hand check.
- Stealth (DEX): Stealth is used to
hide or avoid notice. A character’s
Stealth check is usually opposed by
a potential observer’s Perception
check.
- Survival (INT): This skill helps a
character to undertake tasks like
�ishing, tracking, avoiding natural
hazards, and traveling without
becoming lost in the One Sea.
- Unarmed Combat (STR):
Unarmed Combat includes
improvised, dirty �ighting, elegant
martial arts mastery, and anything
in between. This skill comes in
handy in all those situations when
you don't have a weapon at hand.
An unarmed character deals D4
damage.

T������
New characters begin the game
with two Talents, chosen from the
following list.
- Aim: For your next attack, add
+30 to your Ranged Weapons skill
and +1 damage if you spend a
whole round aiming.
- Ancient Soul: Increase your PP by
+5 permanently.
- Archery Expert: Attacks made
with ranged weapons ignore 2
points of armor.
- Backstab: Double your attack
damage when attacking an
unsuspecting target with a one-
handed melee weapon.
- Brace: When you receive a critical
hit, perform a successful Vitality
check to avoid rolling on the
Critical Hit table. You still receive
double the damage as usual though.
- Brawler: Your unarmed attacks
deal D6 damage.
- Camou�lage: You automatically
pass all Stealth checks when
attempting to hide in natural
terrain.
- Controlled Breathing: You can
hold your breath for CONx2 rounds.
- Break Armor: Perform a
standard attack. If it hits, reduce
the target’s armor by 1.
- Charger: +10 to your attack roll
and +D4 damage when you charge
into combat.
- Dauntless: You are immune to
Fear.
- Dual Wielder: You no longer
suffer any penalty from wielding
15
Characters
two one-handed weapons during
combat.
- Duelist: +20 to your attack skill
when wielding a one-handed
weapon.
- Elusive: Your Dodge skill is
reduced by -20 after each dodge
attempted in the same round,
instead of by -30.
- Exploit Weak Spot: Your attacks
ignore 1 point of armor.
- Fast Swimmer: Your swimming
speed is DEXx3 ft./round.
- Frugal: You only require one
ration each two days.
- Gifted - Charisma: You may re-
roll any failed skill up rolls for skills
associated with CHA.
- Gifted - Dexterity: You may re-
roll any failed skill up rolls for skills
associated with DEX.
- Gifted - Intelligence: You may re-
roll any failed skill up rolls for skills
associated with INT.
- Gifted - Strength: You may re-roll
any failed skill up rolls for skills
associated with STR.
- Gifted - Will: You may re-roll any
failed skill up rolls for skills
associated with WIL.
- Graceful Fighter: DEX becomes
your base attribute for Simple and
Martial Weapons, instead of STR.
Broken Shores
- Haggler: You will never receive
less than the standard price when
selling your loot.
- Healer: While tending to the
wounds of others with the
Medicine skill, triple their healing
rate.
- Inspiring Chant: Once per
combat, perform a Performance
check. If you succeed, you and your
allies receive +5 temporary Health
Points. These extra HP dissipate at
the end of combat.
- Lead the Fight: Once per combat,
perform a Command check. If
successful, your allies receive +10
to their attack rolls until the end of
combat.
- Marksman: +20 to your attack
skill when using a ranged weapon.
- Mind Fortress: You’re immune to
all types of mind control or charm.
- Moon-Touched: +20 when rolling
on the Spell Effect table.
- Multiple Attacks: You can split
your attack skill in two and
perform a different attack with
each resulting score in the same
turn. For example, a character with
a Martial Weapons skill of 56 can
choose to assign his �irst attack a
score of 30 and the second one the
remaining 26. In order to
successfully hit, the character
would have to perform a skill check
as usual, once for each separate
score.
- Mystical Strike: You can spend up
to 5 PP to deal the same amount of
extra damage when performing an
attack.
- Powerful: Reduce a target’s
Tenacity score by -20 when
attempting to resist one of your
spells.
16
- Quick-Handed: +30 to your
Sleight of Hand skill when
performing a check.
- Quick Healer: You recover 5 HP
per day of rest, instead of the usual 3.
- Resilient: When receiving a Major
Wound, perform a Vitality check. If
successful, you can ignore the
wound’s effects.
- Silent: +30 to your Stealth skill
when performing a check.
- Slippery: You can automatically
disengage from combat without
having to perform a Dodge check.
- Slayer: +20 to your attack skill
when wielding a two-handed
weapon.
- Snakeblood: Increase your
Vitality score by +30 when
attempting to resist the effects of
poison or venom.
- Sorcerer: Start the game knowing
an extra spell of your choice. Only
new characters may pick this
Talent.
- Taunt: Add +20 to your
Manipulation skill and make a
check. If successful, all human
opponents within hearing range
are forced to attack you on their
next turn.
- Terrifying Voice: Add +20 to your
Manipulation skill and make a
check. If successful, your target
must pass a Tenacity check or
suffer the effects of Fear for D4
rounds.
- Unencumbered Speed: While
wearing no armor your speed is
increased by 10 ft/round, and all
incoming damage is reduced by 1.
 Characters
- Unstoppable: After reducing an
opponent to 0 HP, you can
immediately perform a free attack
against the nearest opponent.

- Vigorous: Increase your HP by +5

permanently.

- Watchful: +5 Initiative, you

cannot be surprised.

C�������
You start your story not as a fresh
Drifter ready to explore the One
Sea, but as one more of the many
prisoners aboard a temple ship
belonging to a cult. Who you were
and what you did means little in the
face of your recent ordeal; as a
matter of fact, you can barely even
remember your own name. You’ve
been beaten, humiliated, starved,
and cruelly punished. But your
spirit never broke and one night,
when a particularly �ierce storm hit
the ship, you �inally managed to
escape.
Roll on the following tables to learn
what happened.

D10 W���� C��� C������� Y��?

The Thousand Tears, a particularly violent group of Aphion

1 worshippers
Nirena’s Emissaries, a congregation that worships the Goddess of
2 Death
The Hallowed Creed, zealots working to bring back Phenir, God of
3 Justice
4 The Golden Oracle, fanatics hoping to resurrect Qhanas, God of Magic
The Red Sky, a doomsday cult that endlessly sacri�ices victims to Uara,
5 Goddess of the Sky
The Faded, fanatics that consider humanity should have been
6 exterminated
The Silent Gathering, a strange organization that worships Mantris,
7 Goddess of the Night
The Bronze Children, their skin covered in sunburns and tumors,
8
worshippers of Irus, God of the Sun
The Broken, followers of Ulies, God of Wind, attempting to bring him
9 back

10 The Last Order, lost souls trying to interpret the last words of Kothe,
Goddess of Duty

17
Broken Shores
D6 W�� W��� Y�� C�������? D10
H�� L��� W��� Y��
C�������?
1 You’re a �ilthy heretic
1-2 A week
2 Our cause requires blood
3-4 A month
3 Someone needs to man the
galleys 5-6 Three months
4 You must know something! 7-8 Six months
5 You had something of value 9-10 A year
6 Who knows why these bastards
choose to do anything?

D8 H�� D�� Y�� E�����?

1 I seduced a member of the crew (+5 Manipulation)
2 I killed my way out (+5 Unarmed Combat)
3 I saw an opportunity and I took it (+5 Perception)
4 I carefully crafted a plan and executed it (+5 Insight)
5 I snuck out; nobody even realized I was gone (+5 Stealth)

6 I played dead and they forgot about me (+5 Performance)

7 I used my skills and made a way out (+5 Crafting)
8 I started a revolt (+5 Command)

18
 Characters
Before you left captivity, you had roll on the following table. You
the chance to do something stupid: must be ready to pay the price
rob the cult of something of value. though!
Did you do it? If the answer is yes,

D6 W��� D�� Y�� S����? - O�������

1 3D10 shards. You lost a �inger in the �ight though (-1 DEX)
An enchanted weapon (roll on the random weapon table) that deals an
2 extra D4 damage. You received a wound that doesn’t really heal (-1
CON)
A moonstone that can store up to 10 PP. You suffered a terrible blow to
3 the head (-1 INT)
A Ring of Waterlungs (can cast the Waterlungs spell 1/day). Your face
4 was slashed (-1 CHA)
A Bracelet of Flaming Hand (can cast the Flaming Hand spell 1/day).
5 You are now Hunted by the cult

A Ring of Healing (can cast the Stitch Wound spell 1/day). You were
6 pretty wounded, start the game having lost 5 HP

During your escape, you had the On your way out, you also managed
chance to free others, did you take to grab a few things that should
it? help you in your journey ahead:

�If you did, you gain one Ally, but
start with -20Ҁ and 1 less Ration.
Allies can potentially appear in the
future to help you, either
introduced randomly or by the GM.
D10 R����� S������� G���
1 Backpack
2 Knife
3 Torches (UD4)
4 D4 candles
�One random weapon, roll on the
Random Weapon table (page 112).
If it’s a bow, you also grabbed a
quiver with UD6 arrows.
�D4+6 Rations.
�5D20 coins (Ҁ).
�A random item from the Random
Starting Gear table.
F�������� T������

5 D4 empty �lasks The only thing left now is to

determine some basic personality
6 Fishing rod traits and other similar elements
that will help you better role-play
7 Rope (40 ft) your character. Choose a name and
overall appearance, gender, age, and
8 Tinderbox anything else you want to add, and
9 Bandages (UD4) your new character is ready to go!

10 D10 Crafting supplies

19
Broken Shores
I�������� Y��� C��������

R������ A���������
Each time you increase a skill’s
score via a successful skill up check,
mark the advancement progression
track associated with the attribute
used. Only one attribute can be
marked this way per session. Once
the attribute’s advancement
progression track is full, erase all
progress made and increase the
attribute by +1. Attributes cannot
increase their score above 20.
Remember to update all the scores
associated with the attribute in
question: skills, HP, or PP.

L������� N�� T������

If you roll below the skill’s Each time a character increases one
associated attribute when of their attributes they can also
performing a skill check, your choose a new Talent from all the
character has the chance to available ones.
increase said skill’s score. At the
end of the session, all skills marked
for a skill increase (known as skill
up) must be tested: roll D100, and if
the result is HIGHER than the skill’s
score, increase it by 1%.

Example: Arothe must make a

Perception check in order to �ind out
where the hidden level that will
allow him to exit the room he is
currently trapped in is. His
Perception score is 45, and his WIL
(the attribute associated to
Perception) is 12. He performs the
check and rolls a 03, which is not
only enough to spot the hidden level,
but also to mark Perception for a
potential skill up check. Later on, at
the end of the game session Arothe’s
player performs a skill up check for
his Perception. He takes a D100 and
rolls a 50, which is higher than
Arothe’s Perception score of 45!
Arothe’s Perception has now
increased to 46.

20